What Is The Best Way To Construct A Museum Display Case

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Constructing a museum display case yourself will save you a great deal of money by not having to purchase one from a manufacturer (very expensive). Here are some tips on constructing museum display cases yourself:

Cut a 6’X 6’ piece of plywood that will serve as the back of the display case. Mark out another plywood sheet and cut two pieces that are 6’X 1’. These will be the sides of the case. Cut three more pieces that are 5’10 ½”X 1’.These pieces will be the bottom, top, and middle shelf of the display case. Varnish the pieces of wood and let them dry for a 24 hours.

Glass Doors

Go to a glass shop in your area and have 2 pieces of ¼” thick glass cut to 5’11 ½”X 2’11 ¾”. It’s important to get these dimensions right so you won’t have to bring the glass back into the shop to re-cut it. Make sure to double check the measurements with your tape measure before going to the glass shop and use your best judgment on what will fit in the display case. After the glass is cut, have them attach two hinges on the long side of each piece (3” inwards). Have them install a lock mechanism on the opposite side of the hinges (near the bottom or top).

Assemble The Case

After the varnish has dried on the wood pieces, screw the 6’X 1’ pieces to two of the 5’10 ½”X 1’ pieces to make the frame of the display. Sink three screws to attach each piece. Once the frame is intact, lay it flat on the floor and place the 6’X 6’ piece on top and make sure it lays flush (cut a side down if you need to). Drill screws along the edges every 6” to secure the piece to the frame.

Install The Shelf and Doors

Install the shelf by flipping the assembled case on its end and placing the last 5’10 ½”X 1’ piece horizontally in the middle of the case. Secure the piece by sinking three screws from the outside of the case on each side. Install the doors by attaching the hinges to the sides of the display case. It should be a couple of inches from the edge depending on the size and style of the hinges.